The European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) has published its 'Planting the Future' report, which highlights areas in which the EU regulatory framework may be hampering our ability to develop more sustainable agricultural technologies. The group of independent scientific bodies claims, 'There is concern that a time-consuming and expensive regulatory framework in the EU, compounded by politicisation of decision-making by Member States and other policy inconsistencies, has tended to act as an impediment to the sustainable intensification of agriculture'.

It also notes that biotechnology needs to play a role if we are to deliver sustainble agriculture. 'Biotechnology for crop improvement must be part of the response to societal challenges,' the report states. 'The EU is falling behind new international competitors in agricultural innovation and this has implications for EU goals for science and innovation, and for the environment as well as for agriculture.'

A full version of the report is available here and a shortened summary version is available here.